In 1917, when Finland got its independence form Russia, the Finnish Parliament elected Margaret's husband as the first king of Finland. He reigned for two months but he relinquised because the Finns finally decided on a republic.;
After World War II, Friedrichshof was used as an offier's club by the military authorities during the American occupation. Princess Margaret fearing for her jewells, buried them in a subcellar of the castle. The manager of the club, Captain Katlheen Burke Nash discovered the jewels and together with her future husband, Colonel Durant, and Major Watson, took the jewels out of Germany. When Margaret discovered the loss of the jewels, she denounced it to the Frankfurt authorities; the culprits were imprissoned but she only recovered one third of the jewels.
Margaret's elder sons, Friedrich Wilhelm and Maximilian, were killed in action during the war. In October 1914, a company of the Germans Daeth's Head Hussars billeted in St, Jean monastery near Aisne. The British 3rd. Cavalry Brigade, which had also refuged nearby after the Mons retreat, learnt that the Germans were in St.Jean and on the misty dawn of October 13, they advanced towards the monastery and fired over it. Prince Maximilian, who was in the monastery. ran from it towards the line of tethred horses but he was hit as his foot reached the stirrup. When the fire stopped, the British found him, laying on the ground. He was seriously wounded and he was told by the doctor he would live only an hour or so. The dying Prince requested the doctor to return to his mother a locket hanged from a chain around his neck, containing a picture of her. The next day the doctor was killed but his widow sent the locket to Queen Mary (King George of Great Britain's consort), who sent it back to Princess Margaret, via Crown Princess Margaret of Sweden. Maximilian's body was secretly buried in the village of Caestre,by the local people, who had learnt he was the German Kaiser's nephew. The priest refused to identify the grave until the Germans had left Belgium and a compensation was paid. His brother Wolfgang appealed for help to the British authorities. Eventually, after an enquiry was made, Maximilian's body was returned to his family. Prince Friedrich Wilhelm died two years later at Kara Orman in Romania.
Two other sons, Philipp and Christoph embraced Nazism. Philipp married Princess Mafalda, daughter of King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy, Because of this closer relations with the King of Italy, in 1939 he was appointed to Hitler's personal staff, since he could be an useful channel of communications between Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. When he realized the reality of Nazism, he tried to resigned, but he couldn't, He used his postion and his money to provide passports for Jews and help them to escape to Holland. Publicly he continued with his duties and ocassionally purchasing private msiions in Italy for Hitler. When Italy capitulated, he personally informed Hitler. Hitler's revenge recalled on Philipp, who was arrested in a concentration camp for political prissoners. Mafalda was taken to Buchenwald, where she died of a haemorrage caused by the amputation of her arm. Christoph was a great supporter of Hitler, but after the battle of Staligrad, he changed his mind and no longer believed in the Fhurer. He was planning to leave the Nazi party when, in 1943, he died on a plane crash. He was married to Princess Cecilie of Greece, a great-great granddaughter of Queen Victoria and a sister of Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth II's husband.
Princess Margaret died on January 22, 1954, 22 years after her husband. Sh also survived three of her sons. She was 84 at the time of her death.
Duff, David: The Shy Princess, the life of Princess Beatrice.
Eilers Marlene, Queen Victoria's Descendants
Pakula, Hannah, An Uncommon Woman
Zeepvat, Charlotte: Queen Victoria's Family
